International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health

History of the Journal

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health was established in 2016 to address the critical need for interdisciplinary research at the intersection of public health and environmental science. Since its inception, the journal has become a respected platform for sharing evidence that informs health policy and environmental protection worldwide.

Milestones

• 2016: Journal launched with inaugural issue focusing on water quality and public health
• 2018: Achieved indexing in PubMed Central and Global Health databases
• 2020: Implemented rapid review process for COVID-19 and other public health emergencies
• 2022: Reached 500+ published articles with significant impact on public health policy
• 2024: Expanded editorial board with leading public health researchers and environmental health experts
• 2025: Celebrating 9 years of advancing public and environmental health research

Growth and Impact

The journal has experienced significant growth, attracting submissions from public health schools, environmental research institutes, government health agencies, and international organizations worldwide. Our readership includes public health professionals, epidemiologists, environmental scientists, policymakers, and community health workers. The journal's articles have informed national public health policies, influenced environmental regulations, and contributed to global health initiatives.

Aims and Scope

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health aims to publish high-quality, impactful research that advances understanding of population health determinants, improves public health systems, addresses environmental health challenges, and promotes health equity globally.

Scope

The journal covers a comprehensive range of topics within public health and environmental health, including but not limited to:

• Epidemiology: Disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, risk assessment, molecular epidemiology
• Environmental Health: Air quality, water safety, soil contamination, environmental toxicology
• Health Systems: Health services research, healthcare delivery, health economics, quality improvement
• Health Policy: Health legislation, policy analysis, regulatory frameworks, health governance
• Global Health: International health, tropical diseases, health in humanitarian crises
• Social Determinants of Health: Health equity, social justice, community health, health disparities
• Infectious Diseases: Emerging infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, antimicrobial resistance
• Chronic Diseases: Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, respiratory diseases
• Occupational Health: Workplace safety, occupational diseases, worker health protection
• Maternal and Child Health: Reproductive health, child survival, maternal mortality
• Mental Health: Population mental health, substance abuse, psychosocial determinants
• Nutrition and Food Safety: Food security, nutritional epidemiology, foodborne illnesses
• Climate Change and Health: Health impacts of climate change, adaptation strategies
• Environmental Justice: Disproportionate environmental burdens, community-based participatory research
• Public Health Preparedness: Disaster response, emergency preparedness, pandemic planning

Editorial Board

Chief Editors

Associate Editors

• Professor Jacob Oludoye Oluwoye
  Department of Community and Regional Planning,
  College of Agricultural, Life and Natural Sciences,
  Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL 35762 USA.
• Professor A H M Zehadul Karim
  Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
  International Islamic University Malaysia,
  Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur,
  Malaysia.
• Dr.Mingkai Qu
  Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation,
  Institute of Soil Science,
  Chinese Academy of Sciences,
  Nanjing,
  Jiangsu 210008,
  China.

Editorial Board Members

• Dr. Xiaocheng Zhou
  Institute of earthquake science,
  China earthquake administration
  63 FuXing Road,
  P.O.Box 166,
  Haidian District Beijing 100036,
  China.
• Professor Lar Uriah Alexander
  Department of Geology and Mining
  University of Jos
  P.M.B. 2084,
  Jos,
  Nigeria.
• Professor Bin Chen
  Director Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology,
  Dean College of Life Sciences,
  Chongqing Normal University,
  University Town, Shapingba,
  Chongqing 401331,
  China.
• Profa. Dra. Fatima Pereira de Souza
  Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho,
  Instituto de Biociências Letras e,
  Ciências Exatas de São José do Rio Preto, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265
  Jd. Nazareth 15054-000 – Sao Jose do Rio Preto,
  SP – Brasil.
• Dr.Raja Rizwan Hussain
  College of Engineering,
  King Saud University,
  11421, Riyadh,
  Saudi Arabia.
• Prof.Dr.Ghanim Al-Mola
  College of Science for Women
  Univesity of Babylon,
  Iraq.
• Prof. Dr. Matchavariani L
  Tbilisi State University of Iv. Javakhishvili
  Department of Soil Geography,
  Faculty of Exact & Natural Sciences,
  Georgia.
• Dr. Mohammad Hadi Dehghani
  Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
  School of Public Health,
  Department of Environmental Health Engineering,
  Tehran,
  Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Professor Bujar Hisni Durmishi
  State University of Tetova,
  Department of Chemistrym,
  Stret Ilindeni nn, 1200 Tetova,
  FYRO Macedonia.
• Professor Mourad Baghour
  Department of Biology,
  Faculté Pluridisciplinaire de Nador,
  B.P. 300, Seloune,
  62700, Nador,
  Morocco.
• Professor Mehrdad M. Behnia
  Clinical Professor of Allied Health (Physician Assistant Department)
  College of Allied Health,
  Georgia Health Sciences University;
  Augusta, GA
  United State of America.
• Professor Abdelkader ZARROUK
  Laboratory of Applied Chemistry & Environment Department of Chemistry,
  Faculty of Science,
  University Mohammed Premier,
  B.P. 717,
  Oujda,
  Morocco.
• Prof Dr Safaa Elserougy
  Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine,
  National Research Center, Cairo,
  PO: 12622,
  Egypt.
• Professor Innocent Nhapi
  Department of Environmental Engineering,
  Chinhoyi University of Technology,
  Zimbabwe.
• Prof Dr.Thiago Rangel Rodrigues
  Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso,
  Instituto de Física, Programa de Pós Graduação em Física Ambiental,
  AV. FERNANDO CORREA S/ Nº – COXIPO Coxipó – Cuiabá,
  78060900, MT – Brazil.

Editorial Policy

This policy describes guidelines in the publication process of our journals. Specifically, Journal Issues adopts and strive to adhere to the following standards and requirements:

Authorship

An author is an individual who has significantly contributed to the development of a manuscript. The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; and
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
3. Final approval of the version to be published; and
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Acknowledgement

Individuals who participated in the development of a manuscript but do not qualify as an author should be acknowledged. Organizations that provided support in terms of funding and/or other resources should also be acknowledged.

Changes in authorship

Whenever there is a need to make changes in the authorship of a manuscript or a published article, the changes will be implemented according to COPE specification.

Only corresponding authors can make request for a change in authorship. Request should be made to the editor using the Changes in Authorship Form or via e-mail from the corresponding authors email address.

Conflict of interest

"Conflict of interest (COI) exists when there is a divergence between an individual's private interests (competing interests) and his or her responsibilities to scientific and publishing activities such that a reasonable observer might wonder if the individual's behavior or judgment was motivated by considerations of his or her competing interests" WAME.

Authors should disclose all financial/relevant interest that may have influenced the development of the manuscript.

Reviewers should disclose any conflict of interest and if necessary, decline the review of any manuscript they perceive to have a conflict of interest. Editors should also decline from considering any manuscript that may have conflict of interest. Such manuscripts will be re-assigned to other editors.

Confidentiality

A submitted manuscript is a confidential material. Journal Issues will not disclose submitted manuscript to anyone except individuals who partake in the processing and preparation of the manuscript for publication (if accepted). These individuals include editorial staff, corresponding authors, potential reviewers, actual reviewers, and editors. However, in suspected cases of misconduct, a manuscript may be revealed to members of Journal Issues' ethics committee and institutions/organizations that may require it for the resolution of the misconduct.

Peer review

The review process is an important aspect of the publication process of an article. It helps an editor in making decision on an article and also enables the author to improve the manuscript.

Journal Issues operates a blind peer review system.

Author(s) identity is removed from the manuscript and shielded from the reviewers during the review process. The reviewer is left with only manuscript without any information that might enable him/her uncovers the identity of the author(s). Information removed includes the author(s) name, address/affiliation, country, phone/fax and email. Any information in the Acknowledgement and Declaration of Conflict of Interest that may lead to the uncovering of the identity of the author is also removed from the manuscript prior to sending it to reviewers.

Manuscripts are assigned to members of the editorial board of the journal or other qualified reviewers. The Manuscript Review Form is used to report the reviewers' evaluation of the manuscript.

A Review Certificate is issued to reviewers after the review of the manuscript (Optional).

Editors and Editorial Boards

Editors are responsible for making final decisions on a manuscript. Journal Issues require all editors and editorial board members to adhere to COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Editorial Freedom

Interference with the editorial freedom of editors construes misconduct. Journal Issues strictly forbids the interference with the editorial freedom of any of its editors. Suspect cases of interference will be reported to the ethics committee.

Joining Editorial Boards

To join an editorial board of a journal published by Journal Issues, a prospective board member should have completed a doctorial programme. The area of expertise of the prospective board member should fit with the aims and scope of the journal. The applicant should also have research experience and publications in his/her area of expertise.

Editorial board member should be prepared to create adequate time to evaluate assigned manuscript in a timely manner.

Applicants for editorial board should complete the editorial board membership form and submit current resume. The application will be evaluated by an editor or an existing editorial board member.

Editorial board is reviewed periodically. Members may be asked to submit updated version of their profile/resume. Inactive members may be removed from the board.

Misconduct

Misconduct constitutes violation of this editorial policy, journal policies, publication ethics, or any applicable guidelines/policies specified by COPE, WAME, ICMJE, and STM. Any other activities that threaten/compromise the integrity of the research/publication process are potential misconducts. Suspected cases of misconduct will be investigated according to COPE guidelines.

Correction and Retraction of Articles

Corrections may be made to a published article with the authorization of the editor of the journal. Editors will decide the magnitude of the corrections. Minor corrections are made directly to the original article. However, in cases of major corrections, the original article will remain unchanged, while the corrected version will also be published. Both the original and corrected version will be linked to each other. A statement indicating the reason for the major change to the article will also be published.

When necessary, retraction of articles will be done according to COPE retraction guidelines.

Journal Issues will review and update this editorial policy periodically.

Instructions for Authors

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health (IRJPEH) (ISSN: 2360-8803, Print: 2814-3817) is a double blind peer review open access journal published monthly online by Journal Issues. It publishes theoretical, empirical and experimental papers that contribute significantly to the disciplines of Public and Environmental Health.

Procedure for the submission of manuscripts

Manuscript should be submitted online via IRJPEH SUBMISSION PORTAL . Upon receipt of manuscript submission, the Editor-in-chief sends an e-mail of confirmation to the corresponding author within 1-2 working days. In absence of a confirmation email, you are advice to contact the help Assistant via this email address: info@journalissues.org.

Organisation and style of manuscripts

The cover letter should include:

• The name of author(s) including first name(s).
• Name of the department(s) institution(s) in which the work was done including full contact address telephone/fax numbers of authors and that of the corresponding authors.
• It should be in an e-mail message sent to the Editor-in-chief along with the article.
• The authors may also suggest two or more reviewers for the manuscript along with their Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for proper identification of the reviewer(s).
• The author should take the undertaking that the manuscript has not been published elsewhere except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis. Also, in the case of more than one author, the corresponding author should do same.

Peer Review

All manuscripts are subject to double-blind system for peer-review; the reviewer(s) identities remain anonymous to authors. The paper will be peer-reviewed by three experts; one is an editorial board member and the other two are external reviewers. The review process may take 12 days. Decisions will be made as fast as possible, and reviewer(s) comments sent to the author immediately.

Types of Articles

Author(s) are advised to carefully consider the preparation of papers to ensure that they communicate efficiently. Papers are much more likely to be accepted, if they are carefully designed and laid out, containing fewer or no errors. Papers should be conventional to the approach and instructions. However, author(s) are advised not to do self citation of previous study within their paper in order to uphold the credibility of their paper. Articles with self citations may not stand the chance of being accepted except absolutely necessary.

Original Research Articles Format

All portions of the manuscript must be typed double-spaced and all pages numbered starting from the title page.

• The Title should be a brief phrase describing the contents of the paper. The Title Page should include the authors' full names and affiliations, the name of the corresponding author along with phone, fax and E-mail information. An asterisk (*) must be placed after the corresponding authors name as superscript whose email id, fax, telephone number can be given at the bottom left corner of the title. Corresponding author has the responsibility to ensure that all co authors are aware and approve the contents of the submitted manuscript.
• An abstract of not more than 200 words should contain the objective, concise description of study design of plan, result and conclusion. Authors may list a maximum of ten keywords for subject classification.
• Abbreviations are to be used sparingly and given at first mention of word. Each abbreviation should be spelled out and introduced in parentheses the first time it is used in the text. Only recommended SI units should be used. Please separate the items by ";".
  E.g. HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; SIV: simian immunodeficiency virus;
• The Introduction should provide a clear statement of the problem, the relevant literature on the subject, and the proposed approach or solution. It should be understandable to colleagues from a broad range of scientific disciplines.
• Materials and methods This should be sufficiently detailed (with reference where possible) to permit other work to duplicate the study. Sources of materials used must be given and statistical method must be specified by reference unless non standard ones are used.
• The Results must be clearly and concisely with the help of appropriate illustrative material tables and/or figures.
• The Discussion should interpret the findings in view of the results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic. Unjustified speculation should be avoided.
• Acknowledgments (if any) should be included at the very end of the paper before the references and may include supporting grants, presentations, and so forth.
• Tables should be kept to a minimum and be designed to be as simple as possible. Tables are to be typed double-spaced throughout. Including headings. Each table should be on a separate page, numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals and supplied with a heading and a legend. Each table should include a title and be comprehensible without reference to the text. Tables adapted or reproduced verbatim from another source must acknowledge that source in footnote.
• Figure legends should be typed in numerical order on a separate sheet. Graphics should be prepared using applications capable of generating high resolution GIF, TIFF, JPEG or PowerPoint before pasting in the Microsoft Word manuscript file. Tables should be prepared in Microsoft Word. Use Arabic numerals to designate figures and upper case letters for their parts (Figure 1). Begin each legend with a title and include sufficient description so that the figure is understandable without reading the text of the manuscript. Information given in legends should not be repeated in the text. Please present the Tables and Figures at the end of the paper.

References

In the text, a reference identified by means of an author's name should be followed by the date of the reference in parentheses. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the information in each reference is complete and accurate. All references should be cited within the text; otherwise, these references will be automatically removed. References should be arranged first alphabetically and then further sorted chronologically if necessary. More than one reference from the same author(s) in the same year must be identified by the letters "a", "b", "c", etc., placed after the year of publication. Journal names are abbreviated according to the ISSN List of Title Word Abbreviations . Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy of the references.

Proofs and Reprints

Electronic Gallery proofs will be sent via (e-mail attachment) to the corresponding author as a PDF file. Gallery proofs are considered to be the final version of the manuscript. With the exception of typographical or minor clerical errors, no changes will be made in the manuscript at the proof stage. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to ensure that the galley proofs are to be returned 3-4 days of receipt with correction if (any). The authors are responsible for the contents appeared in their published manuscripts.

Fees and Charges

Author(s) will be charged a handling fees upon acceptance of paper for publication. The author's ability to pay the charges is not certain that the paper will be accepted for publication. However, we routinely offer waiver for students and authors from low-income countries. Please contact the help Assistant via this email address: info@journalissues.org.

Copyright

Submission of a manuscript implies: that the work described has not been published before (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, or thesis) that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that if and when the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors agree to automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher. Open Access authors retain the copyrights of their papers, and all open access articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

IRJPEH Indexing

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health (IRJPEH) is indexed in reputable international databases, ensuring the wide dissemination and accessibility of published research to the global health and environmental science community.

Continuous Indexing Efforts

The editorial team of IRJPEH is committed to maintaining and enhancing the journal's standing. We actively monitor our performance metrics and are pursuing inclusion in additional specialized indexes relevant to public health and environmental science to further increase the impact of our contributors' work.

Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts follow a structured editorial and double blind peer review workflow designed to ensure originality academic integrity and publication quality.

Review Process Steps

1. Author Submission: The author submits the manuscript to the journal through the official submission system.
2. Plagiarism and Quality Check: The editorial office screens the paper for plagiarism originality scope relevance formatting and basic academic quality.
3. Initial Decision: If the paper fails plagiarism or quality standards it is rejected and returned to the author. If it passes it proceeds to peer review.
4. Paper Sent to Reviewers: The editorial office assigns qualified reviewers and sends the manuscript for blind peer review.
5. Reviewers Evaluation: Reviewers assess the paper for originality methodology clarity contribution to knowledge and ethical compliance.
6. Review Reports Returned: Reviewers submit their evaluations and recommendations to the editorial office.
7. Feedback Sent to Author: The editorial office sends the reviewers comments and the original paper back to the author for revision.
8. Revised Paper Submission: The author revises the manuscript according to reviewers feedback and resubmits it to the editorial office.
9. Revised Paper Sent to Editor: The revised manuscript is forwarded to the editor for a final decision.
10. Editor Decision: The editor either accepts or rejects the revised paper. If rejected the paper is returned to the author. If accepted it moves to production.
11. Proof Sent to Author: The publisher sends the final proof to the author for final checks and minor corrections.
12. Publication: After proof approval the paper is officially published in the journal.

Average Review Time: 4 to 6 weeks
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 25 percent
Rejection Rate: Approximately 75 percent
Revision Success Rate: Over 80 percent of manuscripts invited for revision are eventually published

Open Access Policy

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health is a fully open access journal. All articles are immediately available online upon publication without subscription, registration, or paywall barriers, ensuring global accessibility of vital public health information.

Benefits of Open Access for Public Health Research

• Global Health Equity: Free access for public health workers in resource-limited settings
• Policy Impact: Immediate availability of research findings to inform public health policy decisions
• Practice Applications: Public health practitioners can access latest research to improve programs and interventions
• Community Empowerment: Community organizations can access research relevant to local health issues
• Emergency Response: Critical during public health emergencies when rapid information sharing saves lives
• Educational Resource: Available as teaching material for public health education worldwide
• Compliance: Meets open access mandates of major public health research funders (WHO, CDC, NIH, etc.)

Creative Commons License

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This license allows:

• Commercial and non-commercial use of the research
• Adaptation, translation, and building upon the work
• Sharing in any format or medium
• Attribution to the original authors and source
• Use in public health programs, policy documents, and community health education

Article Preservation

All published articles are archived in multiple digital repositories including PubMed Central, CLOCKSS, Portico, and institutional repositories to ensure permanent access for future generations of public health professionals and researchers.

Licensing and Copyright

Authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right of first publication under a Creative Commons license that allows for wide dissemination and reuse, balancing author rights with the need for broad accessibility of public health knowledge.

Copyright Policy

• Author Copyright: Authors retain copyright of their published work
• Publication License: Authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish the article
• CC BY License: Articles are published under CC BY 4.0 license for maximum reuse
• Self-Archiving: Authors may deposit published version in institutional repositories immediately
• Public Health Reuse Rights: Authors may reuse their work in public health programs, policy advocacy, community education, and professional development
• Commercial Use: Others may use the work commercially with proper attribution
• Translation Rights: Authors may translate their work or authorize translations for global public health impact

Permissions for Public Health and Educational Reuse

For permission to reuse content published in the journal beyond what is allowed by the CC BY license, please contact the editorial office with details of the intended use. We generally grant additional permissions for public health, educational, non-commercial, and policy purposes.

Community Data and Privacy

Authors are responsible for protecting community and individual privacy in all published material. This includes appropriate aggregation of community-level data and protection of sensitive health information. Authors must follow ethical guidelines for community-based participatory research.

Third-Party Material

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any third-party material (figures, tables, images, text extracts) included in their manuscript and for covering any associated costs. This includes material from previously published works, government reports, or proprietary datasets.

Plagiarism Policy

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health maintains a strict, zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism in any form. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical scholarship in public health research.

Definition of Plagiarism in Public Health Publishing

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

• Verbatim Copying: Copying text, data, figures, or ideas without proper attribution and quotation marks
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Substantial paraphrasing of others' work without appropriate citation
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one's own previously published work without citation or permission (text recycling)
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Combining phrases from multiple sources without attribution (patchwriting)
• Idea Plagiarism: Using others' ideas, concepts, theories, or hypotheses without citation
• Image/Figure Plagiarism: Using images, graphs, or figures from others without permission and attribution
• Translation Plagiarism: Translating others' work without attribution
• Data Plagiarism: Presenting others' public health data or research findings as one's own

Screening Process

All submissions undergo comprehensive screening:

1. Initial Screening: All manuscripts checked upon submission using iThenticate
2. Similarity Report: Detailed similarity report generated and reviewed by editors
3. Contextual Analysis: Editors review similarity reports considering proper citation of methods, standard descriptions, and legitimate overlaps in public health terminology
4. Revision Check: Revised manuscripts re-checked before acceptance
5. Final Verification: Final version checked before publication
6. Post-publication Monitoring: Ongoing checks of published articles and investigation of reader concerns

Acceptable Similarity Thresholds for Public Health Research

• Overall Similarity: Less than 20% (excluding references, methods, and standard public health descriptions)
• Single Source: Less than 5% from any single source
• Methods Section: Standard public health methods may have higher similarity if properly cited
• Self-Citation: Properly cited self-plagiarism within reasonable limits (typically <10%)
• Standard Descriptions: Common public health descriptions (e.g., disease definitions, standard protocols, policy frameworks) are considered differently

Consequences of Plagiarism

Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism are handled according to COPE and public health ethics guidelines:

• Minor Cases: Manuscript returned for revision with proper attribution (similarity 20-30%)
• Moderate Cases: Manuscript rejected with option to resubmit after substantial revision (similarity 30-50%)
• Serious Cases: Immediate rejection and notification to authors' institutions and relevant public health bodies (similarity >50% or clear intentional plagiarism)
• Published Articles: Retraction with published notice and notification to indexing services (PubMed, etc.) and public health authorities
• Author Sanctions: Temporary or permanent ban from future submissions; notification to other public health journals
• Institutional Notification: Serious cases reported to authors' institutions and relevant public health ethics boards

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors are expected to adhere to the highest standards of research and publication ethics in public health research, following international guidelines from COPE, WHO, CIOMS, Declaration of Helsinki, and other relevant public health ethics frameworks.

Authorship Criteria

All listed authors must meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria:

• Substantial Contribution: Made significant contributions to conception, design, execution, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
• Drafting/Revision: Participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content
• Approval: Approved the final version for publication
• Accountability: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring questions about accuracy or integrity are properly investigated and resolved

Excluded Practices: Ghost authorship, guest authorship, and gift authorship are strictly prohibited. Contributors who do not meet all authorship criteria should be acknowledged. Corresponding author must confirm that all authors meet criteria and have seen and approved final manuscript.

Research Ethics Requirements in Public Health

• Human Participants Research: Must have IRB/ethics committee approval and documented informed consent; community-based participatory research requires community engagement and consent
• Public Health Surveillance: Must comply with public health ethics guidelines for surveillance data use and privacy protection
• Environmental Research: Environmental impact assessments and community consultations where appropriate
• Data Integrity: No data fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of public health data
• Confidentiality: Protect individual and community confidentiality; de-identify sensitive health data
• Conflict of Interest: Disclose all financial and non-financial conflicts; include conflict of interest statement
• Funding Disclosure: Disclose all funding sources and their role; include funding statement
• Cultural Competence: Respect cultural contexts and community values in research

Community Engagement and Partnership

• Community-Based Research: Describe community engagement processes and partnerships
• Benefit Sharing: Consider how research benefits will be shared with participating communities
• Capacity Building: Describe capacity building components for community partners where applicable
• Dissemination to Communities: Plan for disseminating findings back to participating communities

Data and Methodology Transparency

• Data Availability: Share de-identified public health data when possible and ethical; include data availability statement
• Methodological Detail: Describe methods in sufficient detail for replication; include context of public health setting
• Statistical Reporting: Use appropriate statistical methods for public health data; report statistical tests, confidence intervals, effect sizes
• Reproducibility: Provide necessary information for study replication in similar public health contexts
• Geospatial Data: Protect privacy when reporting geospatial health data

Specific Considerations for Public Health Research

• Public Health Surveillance: Ethical use of surveillance data for research purposes
• Outbreak Investigations: Rapid research ethics review for outbreak investigations
• Health Equity Focus: Consideration of health equity implications in research design and reporting
• Policy-Relevant Research: Transparency about policy implications and limitations

Permanency of Articles

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health is committed to preserving all published content for permanent access, ensuring that vital public health research remains available for future generations of health professionals, researchers, policymakers, and communities.

Digital Preservation Systems

• PubMed Central: All articles deposited in PubMed Central (PMC) for permanent preservation and access
• CLOCKSS: Participating in the CLOCKSS (Controlled LOCKSS) preservation system
• Portico: Archived in Portico's digital preservation service
• Institutional Repositories: Encouraged deposition in authors' institutional repositories
• Public Health Archives: Articles may be archived in public health-specific repositories
• Multiple Backups: Regular backups in geographically dispersed, secure locations
• Format Migration: Commitment to migrate content to new formats as technology evolves

DOIs and Permanent Identifiers

• DOIs: All articles receive Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for permanent linking
• Crossref Registration: DOIs registered with Crossref for global resolution and citation tracking
• PubMed IDs: Articles receive PubMed IDs (PMIDs) and PubMed Central IDs (PMCIDs)
• Persistent URLs: Permanent URLs maintained regardless of platform changes
• ISBN/ISSN: Regular issues receive ISSN, special issues receive ISBN

Version Control for Public Health Literature

Articles are published as Version of Record (VoR). Any subsequent corrections or updates are clearly indicated to maintain the integrity of the public health literature:

• Version History: Clear version labeling for all updates (V1, V2, etc.)
• Correction Linking: Corrections linked to original articles and vice versa
• Retraction Marking: Retracted articles remain accessible with clear marking and explanation to prevent future use of invalid public health information
• Update Policy: Major updates may be published as new articles with reference to original

Long-Term Accessibility Commitment

• Format Standards: Use of sustainable digital formats (PDF/A, XML, JATS)
• Metadata Preservation: Rich metadata preserved with articles (authors, affiliations, funding, geographic focus, etc.)
• Access Guarantee: Commitment to provide access even if journal ceases publication through preservation partners
• Print Archives: Selective print archiving in major public health libraries for very long-term preservation
• Public Health Data Archiving: Encouragement to archive supporting public health data in specialized repositories

Author Archiving Rights

Authors have the right to:

• Deposit final published version in institutional repositories immediately
• Share on academic social networks (ResearchGate, Academia.edu) with proper attribution
• Use in public health training materials, conference presentations, and community health education
• Include in dissertations, theses, and public health textbooks
• Share with public health colleagues, community partners, and policymakers
• Post on public health department or project websites for professional reference

Correction to an Article

The journal follows transparent and systematic procedures for correcting errors in published articles while maintaining the integrity of the public health literature and ensuring accurate information for public health practice and policy.

Types of Corrections in Public Health Literature

• Erratum: Correction of publisher-introduced errors (formatting, production errors, metadata issues)
• Corrigendum: Correction of author-introduced errors (data errors, analysis errors, interpretation errors)
• Addendum: Addition of important information that doesn't contradict the original (additional data, follow-up findings, clarification)
• Expression of Concern: Notice when serious doubts arise about article integrity pending investigation
• Public Health Correction: Correction affecting public health recommendations, risk assessments, or intervention guidelines

When Corrections Are Issued in Public Health Research

Corrections are issued when errors affect:

• Public health interpretation or conclusions of the article
• Accuracy of public health data, epidemiological analysis, or risk assessments
• Public health recommendations, guidelines, or intervention strategies
• Missing or incorrect author information, affiliations, or contributions
• Ethical issues requiring clarification in public health context
• Important public health information discovered post-publication
• Citations or references affecting scholarly attribution

Correction Process for Public Health Articles

1. Identification: Error identified by authors, readers, public health professionals, or editorial staff
2. Verification: Editorial team verifies the error and assesses its public health significance
3. Urgency Assessment: Evaluation of whether error poses immediate public health risks
4. Decision: Editor decides on appropriate correction type based on error nature and public health impact
5. Preparation: Correction notice drafted with clear explanation of error and correction
6. Approval: Correction approved by corresponding author and all co-authors (for author errors)
7. Publication: Correction published as separate article with its own DOI
8. Linking: Correction linked to original article and original article updated to link to correction
9. Notification: Indexing services (PubMed, CrossRef), public health authorities, and relevant communities notified
10. Versioning: Article page clearly indicates corrected status

Urgent Public Health Corrections

For errors affecting public health recommendations or risk assessments, we implement an urgent correction process:

• Notification within 24 hours of identification for critical public health errors
• Interim notice posted immediately while full correction is prepared
• Direct notification to relevant public health authorities and professional organizations
• Social media alerts about the correction for public health professionals
• Full correction published within 72 hours

Retraction of an Article

Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical violations, irreproducible results, or significant errors that undermine the article's conclusions, following established guidelines from COPE, WHO, and other public health ethics bodies.

Grounds for Retraction of Public Health Research

• Scientific Misconduct: Clear evidence of data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation
• Plagiarism: Significant plagiarism or copyright infringement
• Ethical Violations: Serious ethical breaches in research conduct (no ethics approval, no informed consent, unethical research practices in public health context)
• Irreproducible Results: Major errors making results irreproducible despite author attempts at verification
• Duplicate Publication: Previously published without proper attribution or disclosure
• Author Dispute: Unresolved authorship disputes or unauthorized submission
• Legal Issues: Legal requirements or court orders
• Public Health Risks: Research posing immediate public health risks if uncorrected
• Peer Review Manipulation: Compromised or manipulated peer review process
• Community Harm: Research causing harm to participating communities

Retraction Process for Public Health Articles

1. Allegation: Concern raised by readers, reviewers, public health professionals, or editorial staff
2. Initial Assessment: Editor assesses allegation for credibility and potential public health implications
3. Investigation: Thorough investigation following COPE guidelines; may involve external public health ethics experts
4. Author Response: Authors given opportunity to respond with evidence and explanation
5. Editorial Board Review: Case reviewed by editorial board with recommendations
6. Decision: Final retraction decision made by editor-in-chief with board input
7. Notice Preparation: Retraction notice drafted with clear rationale and transparency
8. Author Notification: Authors notified of retraction decision and notice content
9. Publication: Retraction published as separate article with its own DOI
10. Article Marking: Original article marked as retracted in all versions with prominent warnings
11. Notification: Indexing services (PubMed, CrossRef), public health authorities, institutions, and relevant professional communities notified

Post-Retraction Access and Notification in Public Health

• Article Availability: Retracted articles remain accessible with clear "RETRACTED" watermark on every page
• Public Health Alert: Prominent warning about retracted status to prevent public health use of invalid information
• Database Updates: Indexing databases updated to show retracted status prominently
• Linking: Bidirectional linking between article and retraction
• Citation Alert: Authors citing retracted articles alerted where possible
• Public Health Authority Notification: Relevant public health authorities and professional organizations notified

Article Processing Charges (APC)

To support open access publishing and ensure high-quality services, the journal charges Article Processing Charges (APC) for accepted manuscripts. These charges cover the full cost of peer review, editing, production, hosting, dissemination, and long-term preservation of public health research.

Current APC Rates (2025)

• Low-income countries (World Bank classification): $150 USD (full waiver available)
• Lower-middle-income countries: $200 USD
• Upper-middle-income countries: $250 USD
• High-income countries: $300 USD

Note: Corresponding author's country of affiliation determines applicable rate. Country classification based on current World Bank list. Special rates for public health emergencies and research from humanitarian organizations.

Comprehensive Waivers and Discounts for Public Health Research

APC waivers or discounts are available in the following cases:

• Full Waivers (100%): Authors from low-income countries; public health research from humanitarian organizations; outbreak investigation reports; community-based participatory research from marginalized communities
• Partial Waivers (50-75%): Authors from lower-middle-income countries; early-career public health professionals; authors from public health departments with limited budgets; research on neglected tropical diseases
• Institutional Memberships: Discounts for public health schools, government health departments, and non-profit organizations with membership agreements
• Society Members: Discounts for members of partner public health societies (APHA, WFPHA, national public health associations)
• Editorial Board: Discounts for editorial board members submitting their work
• Public Health Emergencies: Waivers for research related to declared public health emergencies
• Health Equity Research: Special rates for research explicitly addressing health disparities or environmental justice

What APC Covers - Comprehensive Public Health Publishing Services

• Peer Review Management: Coordination of rigorous peer review by public health experts
• Professional Editing: Public health editing, proofreading, language polishing by editors with public health expertise
• Technical Production: XML conversion, typesetting, public health figure preparation, PDF generation
• Digital Identifiers: DOI assignment and registration with CrossRef
• Indexing Support: Submission to major public health indexing services (PubMed, Global Health, etc.)
• Online Hosting: Secure hosting on high-availability servers with 99.9% uptime
• Global Distribution: Distribution to public health databases, government libraries, and community health organizations
• Long-term Preservation: Archiving in PubMed Central, CLOCKSS, Portico, and other preservation systems
• Public Health Alert Services: Promotion to relevant public health communities and professional networks
• Policy Brief Creation: Development of policy briefs for significant public health findings when appropriate
• Community Summaries: Plain language summaries for community audiences when relevant

Contact Journal Editor

For inquiries related to submissions, reviews, editorial matters, or general questions about the journal, please contact our editorial team. We are committed to providing timely, helpful responses to support the public health research community.

Journal Issues Guidelines

The Journal Issues platform provides comprehensive guidelines to ensure quality, consistency, and ethical standards across all our publications. These guidelines are essential for authors, reviewers, and editors to maintain the high standards required for public health publishing.

Public Health-Specific Guidelines Categories

• Public Health Research Guidelines: Requirements for epidemiological studies, intervention research, surveillance data analysis, and community-based participatory research
• Ethical Guidelines: Special ethical considerations for public health research with communities, vulnerable populations, and surveillance data
• Policy Analysis Guidelines: Standards for public health policy research and analysis
• Community Engagement Guidelines: Requirements for community-based research and participatory approaches
• Public Health Data Guidelines: Standards for public health surveillance data, environmental monitoring data, and health systems data
• Health Equity Guidelines: Considerations for health equity-focused research and reporting

Accessing the Guidelines

For detailed information, please visit our comprehensive guidelines portal. The portal is regularly updated to reflect current best practices in public health publishing, ethical standards, and methodological developments.